Berova: “Budget Deficit Will Be Lower Than Expected”

Addressing Parliament in response to criticism from CTP MP Devrim Barçın, Berova noted that while the borrowing limit for 2025 had been set at 18.5 billion TL, the final figure is now expected to remain below 11 billion TL by the end of the year.

“Thanks to revenue-boosting measures, budget performance has been better than anticipated,” Berova said, adding that increased tax audits, VAT inspections and rental income monitoring had resulted in higher revenues.

The minister announced that the 2026 draft budget law has been completed and will be submitted to Parliament by Friday. He underlined that budget discussions should take place on a sound and factual basis, warning against misinformation regarding fiscal data.

“We had planned for a deficit of 18.5 billion TL, but it will likely end up being nearly half of that amount — a clear sign of strong fiscal discipline,” he said.

Berova pointed to a significant rise in tax revenues throughout 2025, attributing the improvement to tighter financial oversight. “Unless a major global crisis occurs, this positive outlook will continue,” he said, noting that new legal measures are being prepared to ensure the sustainability of revenue growth.

Responding to questions about the customs regulation issue raised by Barçın, Berova acknowledged that a technical inconsistency had been found between the law and the regulation but said the error had been corrected promptly. “No changes were made to the rates, and no financial loss occurred. Once the procedural issue was identified, it was immediately fixed,” he said.

Concluding his remarks, Berova called for responsible public debate based on accurate information. “Our goal is not argument but transparency. Fiscal discipline will remain the guiding principle in the 2026 budget as well,” he said.